I am addicted to food! Of course it is something we all need to survive, but my taste buds crave more than just a Mac and Cheese. My taste buds strive for flavorful, savory and GREAT foods. Here are a few places in Minnesota that anyone should try if they are visiting or live here.
- The Blue Door
They currently have a site in Minneapolis and West St. Paul. Their menu is different depending on which place you go to. This small burger joint is definitely a hit. They name most of their burgers “blucy’s” because they are juicy lucy’s. At the St. Paul location I enjoyed a “Jiffy Burger”. Yes indeed, there is Jiffy peanut butter on it! Not only is there crunchy peanut butter, but there is BACON! Who doesn’t love bacon. It may sound like a weird combo, but the sweet and salty flavors mixing makes this burger fabulous. It is not stuffed sadly, but it burst flavor onto your tastebuds. Tater tots and their onion rings are a huge hit. Stop on in at one of their 2 locations.
2. Yumi’s Sushi Bar
I have never been to a sushi restaurant that has beat this treasure(I have been to MANY places). In the heart of Excelsior, Mn this restaurant sits in one of the best locations. Even though their sushi is very pricey, I can promise you that you will get the best tasting sushi and best sized sushi. It is an extremely popular place with great service and quickly made sushi that comes out beautifully. Zach Parise from the Wild has even dined here. My favorite roll is the “Honeymoon Roll”. Not only is it my favorite, but it is majority of the customer’s favorite. It is a huge roll filled with shrimp tempura, crab, spicy salmon(not too spicy), wrapped in soy paper, and sweet chili sauce drizzle on top. One of my other favorites is the classic California roll. What makes this roll special to me is how fresh it tastes and the size of the pieces. This is a MUST go-to.
3. iPho by Saigon
iPho has some of the best Pho in the cities. It is in St. Paul and not only does the taste wow me, but the prices do too. Each type of pho is the same price. Whether its all seafood in it, or chicken and beef, it will be the same price. Another cool thing that they serve is real vietnamese eggrolls but, with authentic sauce. Not the sweet chili goop from a bottle, but the real, homemade, flavorful dipping sauce.
4. Maynards
What I enjoy the most about Maynards is their location. They sit right on Lake Minnetonka so it offers a great view. Not only do they offer a great view, but also seating outside on the lake. Boaters can come in an park their boats in slots with help from the dock boys and sit outside to enjoy a nice lunch. They serve American food and two of my favorites are the “California Burger” and “Frannies Chicken Salad”. The California burger is juicy and big. The giant heap of guacamole is what makes it so delicious and fresh. Frannies Chicken Salad is a huge hit. What makes this salad so great is the coconut breaded chicken along with the honey mustard dressing. The crispy and sweet chicken mixed with tomatoes, artichokes, avocados, eggs and the dressing gives each bit flavor.
5. Hazelwood
Hazelwood is a small restaurant with a beautiful and calm inside setting. They offer some great foods such as their turkey burger and my favorite, shrimp curry. I recently just tried this curry and it was AMAZING. I’m not a big fan of spice and this definitely had kick in it, but the flavor was incredible. The sweet and spicy mix made it so pleasing to the mouth. They turn a curry into a curry noodle dish. They serve the shrimp and curry over a bed of rice noodles and it makes for this incredibly different and unique dish.
Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.
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